Forever trying to outdo both the competition and itself, Apple
The next model's release date has yet to be announced - some sources speculate it might be as late as late Q1 or early Q2 2018 - but the update is already generating buzz that, while unconfirmed for now, could be very exciting if true.
In one of the most significant rumored changes, Apple will upgrade the iPad Pro processor to an A11X Bionic. These processors will be made using Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's
Another benefit of A11X Bionic is that it has eight processor cores. Compare that to the A10X Fusion processor that powers the iPad Pro models currently available on the market. Three of the eight cores will be designated "Monsoon," or high-performance, meaning that they can take on demanding applications like 3D games. The remaining five cores will be designated "Mistral," or high-efficiency, designed to handle ordinary processing tasks while conserving as much battery power as possible. The chip may include an updated M11 motion coprocessor and TSMC's fan-out wafer-level packaging, the game-changing, low-cost integration technology.
Apple has claimed that the processors inside of its iPad are significantly stronger than the processors found in your average laptop today. Apple may hope that the increased capacity of its processors might lead consumers to replace personal computers made by competitors like Windows
A11X Bionic will also include the Apple "Neural Engine" that is currently used in A11 Bionic processors, and Apple's custom graphics processing unit, or GPU. Both the Neural Engine and the GPU involve the powerful algorithms needed for machine learning, which is in turn an integral part of face and voice recognition. This allows users to unlock devices via Face ID - a technology sophisticated enough that it can reportedly recognize users even as they change their appearance by growing a beard or dying their hair. It also allows Apple to integrate the iPad Pro into its growing ecosystem of products, as voice recognition is a key component of Siri, Apple's intelligent personal assistant.
The 2018 iPad Pro update is also rumored to provide greater stories of memory and better connectivity.
In terms of design, it has been suggested that there will be a new aspect ratio for the display. Apple might also stay with traditional liquid-crystal display over the organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, panel that the iPhone X currently features. The iPad Pro might also remove the notch that is currently on the iPhone X model in order to provide more display.
